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Sunday, 3 April 2016

a touch of improv

Nothing like a bit of retail therapy to get inspired!

I initially didn't have any plans for my 3 new fabrics- a pretty Riley Blake floral and a couple of matching geometrics. I was simply going fold them up nicely and look at them sitting all pretty on the shelf for a bit. But instead, I began to pull out some scrappy bits of fabrics from my stash, ones that blended, ones that highlighted... and suddenly, I got totally carried away trying out a bit of improv sewing!

I've had a picture of an Amy Butler quilt pinned up on my noticeboard for a little while now, colourful & energetic, made using an eclectic mix of fabrics, just the sort of quilt that I love! There were no measurements or pattern. Feeling creativeapprehensive brave, I had a little play, my quick unpick on standby! I started out small, making a little centre section, and then made bigger components as I progressed outwards.

Here's a few progress pics taken over a few days...

my favourite tool has to be my 'design floor'

... I still see a few gaps... now where did I put that initial little centre section...

A fun challenge, making up sections, and finding a way to put them together. It wasn't what you would call' free form' improv, as I did use a ruler, rotary cutter, and I measured each completed strip as I went, to make sure I was keeping within my self-made boundaries.

And of course, things certainly changed along the way, but here is what I ended up with

This has worked so well! I love the mix of floral fabrics with the big check - an inspired combination, and the bits of dark red hold everything together. I like to work by making sections and then seeing how they fit together too.

I'm enjoying how you're using some of the bigger floral prints with plaids, solids, and low volume fabrics. Not an easy recipe, but I think they all play together nicely here. I can imagine an evening covered up with this beauty. Lots to look at, and I'm sure a joy to sew with so much color and pattern.

Thanks so much for taking the time to leave me a comment. I love to hear your thoughts. For those of you who are a 'no-reply' blogger, I will respond within the comments section, so please do check back if you've asked a question or wish to chat. Happy sewing!

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Hi I'm Linda, and I live in Auckland, New Zealand. I am a mother of two grown up children & granny to three now! I've been making quilts on & off for a few years, I particularly enjoy making colourful scrappy quilts. I am sharing bits and bobs of my quilty journey here.